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This book tells Dr. Js amazing story, following his basketball journey from his Long Island childhood to the street games of New York City to a college career as his skills, reputation, and character grew. It follows his entrance into the ABA, where he revolutionized the game by glamorizing the dunk, and his conquering of the NBA, where he was Michael Jordan before there was a Jordan. It relates the family struggles hes had since leaving the game and charts the transformation of the man into myth. *Author: Mallozzi, Vincent *Subtitle: The Rise and Rise of Julius Erving *Publication Date: 2009/11/02 *Number of Pages: 286 *Binding Type: Hardcover *Language: English *Depth: 0.75 *Width: 6.00 *Height: 9.50

Annotation:Before there was LeBron or Kobe or Michael Jordan, there was "Dr. J," Julius Erving, the man perhaps most responsible for transforming the game of basketball into the high-flying, acrobatic extravaganza it is today. As Vincent Mallozzi reports, Erving developed his game on the playgrounds of New York City, before excelling at the University of Massachusetts, although dunking was then still prohibited by the NCAA. Erving spent his first two seasons in the ABA, which turned out to be a blessing, as the fledgling league allowed him to showcase his unique aerial skills in a way which likely would not have been encouraged in the more stoic (at the time) NBA. Mallozzi chronicles Erving's astonishing career, his life off the court (marked by both philanthropy and philandering), and his immeasurable impact on the game as both a showman and spokesman.

Praise

"Mallozzi...is exactly the dogged researcher and reporter and interviewer you would expect, given his background and profession. He has spoken with friends and family, coaches, teammates, opponents, the media, and has tracked down those who played for and against the Long Island asphalt playground legend, and has questioned legions from Erving's ABA and NBA days, starting with how he came to first take flight." - Bill Lyon 12/06/2009